Devon council trials motorhome stopover scheme

South Hams District Council is setting up 12-month pilot scheme, allowing motorhomes and campervans to stop overnight in five of its car parks. 

Vehicles need to be self contained with their own toilet facilities and there will be a fee of £10 per night (from 6pm to 9am). A maximum stay of two consecutive nights is allowed with no return within 48 hours. 

The five car parks will be Leonards Car Park in Ivybridge, Cattlemarket Car Park in Kingsbridge, Poundwell Meadow Overflow Car Park in Modbury, Longmarsh Car park in Totnes and the Park and Ride Car Park in Dartmouth. 

Cllr Keith Baldry, South Hams District Council’s Executive Member for Environment, said: “Many businesses depend on tourists for their incomes and that is one of the key reasons why we are doing this pilot scheme, to try and encourage trade into our towns. The other reason is to help tourists who want to travel to the area without having to pre-book if they don’t know where they want to stay in advance. This gives them the freedom to make the choice of where they want to stay for short periods of time and balances the needs of both residents and visitors. Both of which are exceptionally important to the Council. 

“If we make it easier for those motorhome and campervan owners, who have their own toilet facilities on-board, to visit the South Hams when it’s really busy and our campsites are full, then they will add to our local economy at a time when our businesses desperately need the extra support.  

“We will put systems in place to ensure that visitors follow the rules, but they also have a responsibility to respect the sites they stay at and not to cause anti-social behaviour and we have confidence that they won’t. It’s up to them to make sure this works and we’ll be there to support them.” 

The South Hams website has more information including a map of locations, code of conduct and safety guidelines.